Ice skates and inline skates, also known as roller blade skates, are well known. Likewise, ice skate blade guards are also well known. Generally, ice skate blade guards are usually made from a relatively soft material such as rubber, nylon or similar material to minimize damage to the sharp edge of a skate runner, where sharp ice skate blades are important for safe and competent ice skating. Ice skate blade guards typically are long and narrow with a slot provided in the soft material to fit the ice skate blade into the ice skate blade guard. The ice skate blade guard is further provided with suitable means for securing to and removing from the ice skate blade. Another recognizable feature of ice skate blade guards is that the length is adjustable such that a single product can be adjusted for use with a variety of ice skate sizes.
One problem related to ice skates is that ice skate blade guards, the subject of prior patents, are 1/2" to 3/4" in width. These ice skate blade guards protect the ice skate blade to a degree during walking but provide no comfort or ankle support. The result of poor ankle support provided by available ice skate blade guards can be painful ankles twists and sprains.
Many young persons play hockey and ice skate for recreational purposes. These persons or their parents may put their ice skates on either at home or at the ice skating rink (arena). Because available ice skate blade guards provide poor ankle support, many ice skaters must wait until arriving at the ice skating rink (arena) prior to putting on their ice skates. This can be an inconvenience, especially when one set of parents is driving young persons from several families to the ice skating rink. In addition, during ice skating recesses (periodic breaks used to clean the ice skating rink), ice skaters tend to walk to refreshment stands and play arcade games and some of these facilities are considerable distances from the ice skater's rest area. The proposed invention addresses these problems by providing comfortable ankle support during transportation and when walking over longer distances.
A second problem that exists with available ice skate blade guards is that ice skate blades rest on the bottom of the ice skate blade guard. Over time and prolonged use, the friction between ice skate blades and available ice skate blade guards causes a dulling of the ice skate blade. The invention included in this patent maintains ice skate blades in suspension eliminating the problem of unnecessary friction.
A third problem that exists with available ice skate blade guards relates to ice skate storage. The available ice skate blade guards do not facilitate the storage of ice skates. Because the width is 1/2" to 3/4", ice skates cannot be made to stand upright except with the support of a wall or similar upright support structure. The invention included in this patent addresses this problem by providing support so that skates may be stored in an upright position that is free of any other support structure. This feature facilitates convenient storage.
The art has developed ice skate blade guards, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,615, U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,526 and Canadian Patent No. CA1062301. that all relate to a cover that fits over the ice skate blade offering only temporary protection of ice skate blades. Each of these patents identifies ice skate blade guard concepts that provide little or no ankle support, poorly protect ice skate blades from unnecessary wear over long periods are provide no support structure for convenient storage. All three of these ice skate guards are basicaly alike except for the means by which they attach to the ice skate and methods used to alter the length of the ice skate blade guard to facilitate different ice skate shoe sizes. Generally, the patented guards are made of rubber (or similarly soft material) and are 1" or less in width. This width is not sufficient to provide ankle support and comfort for walking or during rest periods (e.g., ice skating recesses, between competitions). The invention included in the patent is 21/2 to 3 times wider than available ice skate blade guards. The bottom of the invention included in this patent is approximately as wide as a standard shoe and is also shaped and curved like a shoe with a soft bottom, giving ankle support and stability. The additional width provides superior support and comfort during walking. The prior art ice skate blade guards also result in the dulling of ice skate blades with continuous use. The invention included in this patent allows the chassis of the skate to ride on the rail of the ice skate storage and walking shoe where the ice skate hangs in suspension. Finally, because the width of the ice skate storage and walking shoe is the width of a standard walking shoe, the ice skate is able to stand in an upright position for convenient storage. Each of these factors is important to users of ice skate blade gaurds.